Extra spaces for bikes at Kettering and Wellingborough stations

East Midlands Trains has announced the creation of new spaces for bicycles at its stations in Kettering and Wellingborough.

There will be 10 extra spaces in Welllingborough and six in Kettering, with the train operator saying it is committed to making it easier for passengers to access stations using environmentally friendly transport.

But the vast majority of the 1,000 new bike spaces will be at other points on the network, with more than 400 at each of Leicester and Sheffield stations, where there will also be changing areas and a cycle repair shop.

Neil Micklethwaite, commercial and customer service director for East Midlands Trains, said: “Not all commuters are able to cycle directly to work, but many might be able to travel part of the way by bike.

“We believe by providing an additional 1,000 cycling spaces, we will encourage more people to cut down on their reliance on cars and consider alternative methods of transport when travelling to and from our stations.

“We know that door-to-door journey times are a key factor for most people when deciding which mode of transport to use and there is a case to be made for how cycling, when well integrated at either end of a train trip, can help reduce overall travel times.

“We’re committed to improving access to our stations for all users, and the new cycle facilities are part of a £10 million station investment programme that is delivering improvements right across our network”.